HTTP-based stream delivery

1. An apparatus, comprising: a hardware processor; computer memory holding computer program code executed by the hardware processor, the computer program code configured for delivery of video content as a set of Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) byte range requests, the computer program code comprising: first program code configured as an HTTP proxy; and second program code; wherein the second program code is configured to accept a request from the HTTP proxy, the request associated with an end user player, and in response, to dynamically generate a manifest, the manifest identifying a set of content fragments represented by the HTTP byte range requests; and wherein the HTTP proxy performs partial object caching (POC) of the set of content fragments and interacts with a translation process to selectively fetch and deliver the manifest, and to selectively deliver the content fragments upon subsequent receipt from the end user player of individual HTTP byte range requests for the content fragments.

2. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the HTTP proxy and the second program code communicate with one another over a localhost connection and a shared memory.

3. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the manifest comprises a multi-bit rate (MBR) manifest that includes bit rate information for a set of distinct bit rates.

4. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the HTTP proxy obtains the set of content fragments from a network-accessible location.

5. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the HTTP proxy is configured to obtain at least one content fragment upon a POC cache miss.

6. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the HTTP proxy dynamically re-assembles the set of content fragments and serves the video content via HTTP.

7. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the manifest is associated with at least one index identifying the content fragments.

8. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the HTTP proxy translates at least one content fragment from a first format to a second format.

9. The apparatus as described in claim 8 wherein the second format is mp4/f4v.